Description

Coming soon...

[This side of the impressive Black Canyon of the Gunnison is known for its foreboding, long routes with chillier temperatures. Since the canyon is quite steep and quite narrow, these routes have a much darker ambience than some of the neighboring walls across the water. In fact, these factors may have slowed the exploration of these walls during the early years of climbing here. The one advantage to climbing on this side is that access is somewhat easier.

All routes here should be considered adventure climbing with challenging rock, rock quality, route finding, runouts, etc.. Assistance, in the event of the unexpected, is difficult to non-existent. Be prepared.

As with most climbing in the area, poison ivy and ticks are hazards during the non-climbing times of your visits here. Some folks have been even known to wear disposable Tivek suits to avoid these diminuitive demons.

Eds. If anyone wishes to submit a description here, we can add it here, change the name of the submitter]

Serpent Point and adjacent walls within one-half mile, including the area above the listed wall(s) from the canyon edge extending for 50 ft. away from the canyon but not including developed trails and overlooks. Climbing routes included in this closure: East Arete, Southern Arete, West Arete, Forrest Walker, Journey through Mirkwood, Stratosfear, and The Dragon.

2013 Raptor Closures Serpent Point and the adjacent walls within one-half mile are closed to public use from March 15 through July 15. This includes the landscape portions above the walls extending 50 feet from the rim edge. This pertains to the following areas:

Getting There

Coming soon...

The Black Canyon of Gunninson is located approximately 250 miles SW of Denver.

South Rim: 15 miles east of Montrose, via U.S. Hwy 50 and CO Hwy 347

[From Steve Levin: For routes on the main SCVW a viable access is via the "Astro Slog" raps (see the topo under the Astro Dog route description). The start is upriver a few feet from the overlook, at a boulder. Two ropes are required. This has cleaned up a bit, the anchors are good, and most are easy to locate. Try to trend more climbers-right at the bottom, lest you stray into the super-munge to the left. Plan on 2-3 hours. A second option is to descend the Cruise Gully and cross the river via the tyrolean located below NCVW, then have someone meet you on the South Rim with a car. This strategy works best if you arrange for attractive members of the opposite sex to pick you up, and if they have a picnic lunch and a nice, chilled white wine. Other options exist.]

[From Charles Vernon: The latter part of this descent, from the saddle behind the pinnacle, is obvious and looks reasonable (except perhaps for the 5.7 slabs above the river) from the North Rim. However, I'm inclined to assume that the upper gully does not exist as described (I've seen it from the South side, and been down the gully just west to the Alimony Wall, but it is hard to tell how far the first gully goes before cliffing out), since I've never heard of it anywhere else and it sounds too good to be true! Oddly, the only other method for reaching SCVW mentioned in Rock Climbing Colorado is via the Chillumstone Gully, which would require river crossings. In the new guidebook, neither of these methods are mentioned, while three others are described(rappelling, tyrolean, and SOFB raps).] [Eds. If anyone wishes to submit a description here, we can add it here, change the name of the submitter]

Re: The Black Hole: Don't remember any specific wide belay sizes apart from the first belay. There's an ancient fixed hex, which we backed up with the smallest Bigbro. After that I think we had a doubles from Camalot #5 down for the rest of the OW. The crux roof is #3 and #4 Camalot size, I think. After that, it's back to standard rack. The first pitch was wet in May but may be would be dry late summer or fall.

I would totally recommend this route - it's a pretty monumental feature. The OW stuff at the beginning is a bit scaly, but in places and after that the rock is bomber. Ask Pennings or Wharton for an unbiased quality rating.
Jul 8, 2010

Does anyone have any beta on Black Hole? Good rock, worth doing? Wondering what big gear to bring(is extra wide gear needed for belays, etc.). Also wanted to know if the first pitch is always wet?
Jul 4, 2010

FWIW, the fixed rope will only get you halfway down the Chillumstone rap (it got chopped by a rock), but a single 70m rope is perfect. I talked to the ranger after our climb, and he questioned us about the fixed line and wondered what we thought of a NPS fixed static line on that rap. My partner and I both said it would be a bad idea and he mentioned that Brent from the N. Rim also suggested against it. So, plan on using your own rope on the descent.
Oct 12, 2009

As of 11 Jul 2009, the mentioned fixed rap line for the 150' Chillumstone rappel put there by NPS is no longer there, removed by a climbing ranger, according to the ranger we spoke to at the Visitor's Center. The rap sling and rings are still there for use. We just used own 70 m rope.
Jul 15, 2009

I have been down the SOFB raps many times without incident to climb routes as far south as Astro Dog. I used this descent when I climbed Astro dog in a day and later Falcon wall in a day; they are fairly easy four or five raps. The first rap was removed by someone, but the rest are there and have been updated since they were established in the early '90s. To find them, you walk out the trail to Painted Wall overlook and trend right and down some ramps and a gully till you see the large summit of a fin-like spire that separates the SOFB from the main canyon to the North.
Jun 5, 2008

This is a quote from Rock Climbing Colorado, on how to approach the SCV Wall: "...drop down the first gully past the Painted Wall Overlook. About 200' of 3rd class rock are near the gully's bottom. Below this rock work up and right to a saddle behind a large pinnacle. Drop down a gully from the saddle to the river and the wall base."

The latter part of this descent, from the saddle behind the pinnacle, is obvious and looks reasonable (except perhaps for the 5.7 slabs above the river) from the North Rim. However, I'm inclined to assume that the upper gully does not exist as described (I've seen it from the South side, and been down the gully just west to the Alimony Wall, but it is hard to tell how far the first gully goes before cliffing out), since I've never heard of it anywhere else and it sounds too good to be true! Oddly, the only other method for reaching SCVW mentioned in Rock Climbing Colorado is via the Chillumstone Gully, which would require river crossings. In the new guidebook, neither of these methods are mentioned, while three others are described(rappelling, tyrolean, and SOFB raps).
Sep 9, 2002

[Eds. this comment has been edited at the request of the commenter] For routes on the main SCVW a viable access is via the "Astro Slog" raps (see the topo under the Astro Dog route description). The start is upriver a few feet from the overlook, at a boulder. Two ropes are required. This has cleaned up a bit, the anchors are good, and most are easy to locate. Try to trend more climbers-right at the bottom, lest you stray into the super-munge to the left. Plan on 2-3 hours. A second option is to descend the Cruise Gully and cross the river via the tyrolean located below NCVW, then have someone meet you on the South Rim with a car. This strategy works best if you arrange for attractive members of the opposite sex to pick you up, and if they have a picnic lunch and a nice, chilled white wine. Other options exist.
Sep 5, 2002